This invention relates to clothespins, and more particularly to highly stable spring-type clothespins which will not fall apart under abnormal conditions.
The prior art teaches many clothespins of the type having a pair of elongated clamping members and a spring interposed therebetween for normally urging the jaws of the clothespin closed upon one another. Many of the springs used in the prior art quickly lose their resiliency and render the closepin ineffective after a short period of use. Helical springs have proven to be extremely effective at providing a sufficient clamping force over an extended period of use.
However, many of the clothespins of the prior art utilizing helical springs are structurally unstable. If a clothesline or an article of clothing or the like is inserted between the jaws of the clothespin to a point sufficiently closed to the fulcrum, the body of the spring may lift out of the grooves provided therefore causing the clothespin to fall or fly apart if any type of lateral or longitudinal force is applied to its tail portion.
Some of the prior art attempts to solve this problem involve the use of sliding sheaths or staple arrangements whereby the spring is physically attached at one or more points to the two halves of the clothespin. This increases the complexity and cost of the clothespin so as to render many such proposed modifications to be economically unfeasible.
Furthermore, since most of the springs utilized in the prior art are metal, they are subject to rust. Therefore, the clothesline or any article of clothing or the like which is inserted between the jaws of the clothespin and allowed to physically contact the spring may become soiled or acquire a rust deposit often necessitating re-laundering of the article.
The clothespin of the present invention provides a highly stable clothespin which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art set forth hereinabove.